external monologue

matrices

"In these essays, mostly written in the 1970's, Mr. Baudrillard suggests that because of technology and the rise of modern capitalism, everything has become a simulacrum; as in the Matrix, nothing real remains. Disneyland is one of his examples: an imaginary world that invokes something "real," though that "real" world is just as imaginary."

seems like saturdays are typically pretty good days for the new york times if you're hunting for some lightweight philosophical ramblings. today is no different. there was an interesting article today about the recent matrix films. i've been wanting to put something up on my blog about 'reloaded' but just haven't had the time. work has been unbelievably busy. the NYT article focuses on postmodern philosopher baudrillard who is referenced in the first film for his book Simulacra and Simulation. evidently, the wachowski brothers have admitted that this hint is only the beginning of numerous philosophical and cultural tips throughout the film. but the article and baudrillard in general reminds me of umberto eco's book Travels in Hyperreaality which i'm guessing is much more accessible to the common man (since i understood it pretty well, and have no desire to try to dig through baudrillard). the main essay is concerned with man's fascination, particularly american man's, with unreality, or hyper-reality as he refers to it. that is, we tend to prefer those things that are more real than the world that we live in, even though they aren't, um, real. for example, most people would rather see an animatronic aligator at disney world jump out of the water and snap at them, than go to, say, busch gardens, and see a real aligator sitting in the swamp barely moving. even though, for the most part, aligators tend to sit in the sun and do nothing. just one of the observations that i remember. its worth checking out though, as is the NYT article, and if you have time, adam gopnik's article in the new yorker is superb.

more later...